Motorcycle poker run trivia board game

ABSTRACT

A board game simulating a motorcycle poker run that travels around the United States. The board is provided with a primary route on which seven cities hosting rallies are located. Several secondary routes, all of which are dead ends, act as detours from the primary route. Three sets of cards are provided. One standard deck of playing cards for the poker run. One set of trivia cards. One set of recognition cards. The trivia and visual recognition cards will provide a challenging question and corresponding value in terms of spaces earned when correctly answered. Each player has a piece and starts in the Northwestern United States. Each piece moves along the primary route utilizing a die to determine advancement of their playing piece. When each player reaches a rally position, a poker card is awarded. The game is finished when all players reach the “finish” of the rally, and collect their final card for the poker run.

A trivia board game simulating a motorcycle poker run that travels around the United States. The board is provided with a primary route on which seven cities hosting rallies are located. Several secondary routes, all of which are dead ends, act as detours from the primary route. Three sets of cards are provided. One standard deck of playing cards for the poker run. One set of trivia cards. One set of recognition cards. The trivia and visual recognition cards will provide a challenging question and corresponding value in terms of spaces earned when correctly answered. Each player has a piece and starts in the Northwestern United States. Each piece moves along the primary route utilizing a die to determine advancement of their playing piece. When each player reaches a rally position, a poker card is awarded. The game is finished when all players reach the “finish” of the rally, and collect their final card for the poker run.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Prior to reviewing the patents listed below, this board game was originally conceived to promote an interaction between motorcycle enthusiasts and motorcycle novices. The interaction includes the exchange of motorcycle experiences, knowledge of motorcycle trivia, motorcycle rallies, motorcycle skills, and general knowledge of touring the continental United States.

2. Prior to reviewing the patents listed below, a prototype of this game was produced, reviewed in two separate focus groups, and updated to the current prototype.

3. Though there are a variety of board games that include motorcycling activities, none include the combinations of a poker run and trivia and education and interaction.

The following patents were viewed:

U.S. Pat. No. 1,529,908, March 1925, Newcombe

U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,274, September 1977, Jevons

U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,591, January 1979, Brooks

U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,287, March 1983, Erwin

U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,430, February 1987, D'Aloia

U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,389, May 1989, Coffman

U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,279, May 1996, Reutlinger

U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,376, July 2001, Jenkins

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention contains two objectives: the first of these objectives is to create a competition with other players to finish the route around the United States, or around a State, or town, or portion thereof; the second of these objectives is to have the winning hand of poker at the conclusion of the poker run.

Increments of travel (i.e. spaces or squares which a motorcycle/player may progress along the route) is determined by chance (by the throw of a die) and/or correctly answering card questions and/or following specific instructions given by said spaces or squares.

Players travel along the route, specified on a map, through the country, stopping at major motorcycle rallies, or points of interest, or locations to earn poker cards while interacting with other players.

All players begin at a specific starting point and end at a specific finish point, and stop at five points along the route.

Motorcycle enthusiasts will find this game especially appealing because it combines an actual poker run with the challenges of a cross country ride which makes this experience unique to all other board games.

Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a game board of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a frontal and elevation view of a playing piece.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are views of representative cards from the TWO WHEELER TRIVIA deck.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b are views of representative cards from the WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? deck.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 game board (10) displays a highway map (12) of the continental United States with a principle route (14) and secondary routes (16) which the players will follow during the course of the game. Route (14) is divided into segments (18) which represent positions for the playing pieces (40) used by the players to represent their positions and movement along the route. The principle route (14) begins in the city of Seattle represented by a starting area (22) and progresses through five rally cities (20) including Sturgis, Laconia, Daytona, Durango, and Laughlin, and finishes as the finish area (24) represented by the Hollister rally.

The secondary routes (16) are connected to the primary route (14) and represent areas or cities, and are named Music City, Cow Town, Mile High, and Middle Of Freakin Nowhere.

It will be noted that the principle route (14) and secondary routes (16) contain segmented squares that give instructions to the players. Instructions include movement forward, movement backward, losing a turn, picking up specified cards, sending players to secondary routes, taking a drink, or other types of interaction with other players.

The principle route (14) contains five rallies (20) in which each player must stop. Players move along the routes by either throwing a die 36 or a value of spaces earned from correctly answering questions poised from the TWO WHEELER TRIVIA (30) deck of cards or the WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? deck of cards.

An area is set aside for the total amount of winnings which will be know as the pot (28).

The game board (10) will be made up of a material, such as cardboard or plastic or metal, and is designed to fold out to four times it's original size (four panels, one cut and three folds).

Each player selects a playing piece (40) which is described as a photographic representation of a motorcycle, printed on both sides of a material, such as cardboard, and is supported by a triangular base (40 a) and is also indicated by a specific color for visual recognition.

On game board (10) is a single stack of playing cards (34) for the poker run.

A rectangular box (30 a) (32 a) will hold each of the sets of trivia cards (30) (32).

FIGS. (3 a), (3 b), (4 a), and (4 b) show samples of TWO WHEELER TRIVIA and WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? cards respectively. The set of cards represented by TWO WHEELER TRIVIA (30) contains the TWO WHEELER TRIVIA logo on one side, and a trivia question (e.g. either multiple choice or true or false) on the opposite side. The correct answer to the question and increments of movement are placed at the bottom of the card. The set of cards represented by WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? (32) contains the WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? logo on one side, and a visual representation question (e.g. a symbol, a person, a location, a tool, etc.) on the opposite side. The correct answer and increments of movement are placed at the bottom of the card. Instead of designating the decks TWO WHEELER TRIVIA and WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?, the decks of cards may be identified by different names or by designs or logos.

Following are the official instructions to play this game:

American Throttle, The Game is, in a few words, a “Poker Run” that takes you around the United States. This game is an experience that tests your knowledge of motorcycling, motorcycle trivia, and road skills. Add some good old fashioned poker, awesome coasters for your drinks and an open road attitude, well . . . you just might have a enjoyable time.

Like any real bike ride, it aint easy making it from one point to another. American Throttle takes you on one hell of a tour through the country, the history, the major rallies, and the life of motorcycling. If you're inexperienced, you might this game difficult at first. After all, some knowledge has to be earned. If you're a veteran, you could earn some cash by the time you finish. Either way, American Throttle is an authentic passage through the cultural mystique of the road.

Directions of Play

1. To Begin The Game

Up to 7 riders or teams can play. Choose a motorcycle game piece. Put your piece in the “Meeting Area” and wait for the other bikers to show up.

2. Placing Your Bet

Pay to ride. Decide on how much cash each rider will bet and put the money in the “Pot” area. We suggest that the pot ends up with an even amount. Example: 5 total players might put in $4 each for a total of $20). The reasoning: The truly awesome biker that reaches the end of the road first {Hollister Rally} gets half of the pot. The rider with the best hand in poker gets the other half of the pot. If you win the entire pot you are lucky. Then again, we make our own good luck, don't we? When the pot is “right”, each rider draws one poker card. (For the uninitiated, hide the card, don't show it).

3. Start Your Engines

Move your bikes into the “Start” circle. Each biker rolls the die to determine who will hit the road first. High number starts the game. In case of a tie, each will roll the die until somebody wins the tiebreaker. That person then will begin the game by rolling the die again. The play then rotates clockwise from the lead biker.

4. Rolling Down The Highway

When a motorcycle reaches each rally, that rider parks his/her bike into the rally circle and then takes a playing card from the poker pile. Each person will hang out at that rally until they correctly answer a “Two Wheeler Trivia” or “What The Hell Is That?” question. The biker is then free to roll the die and continue the journey to the next rally. Each biker adds only one poker card to their hand per rally. If by some act of fate, a rider is sent back to revisit a rally, that rider does not get to pick another poker card. However that rider does have to answer another question to continue on.

5. Follow The Rules!

Each time a rider lands on a space, the rider has to abide by the rule of the space. If a rider lands on a “Two Wheeler Trivia” or “What The Hell Is That?” space, the person that rolls the die next will pick up that particular card and ask the question. If the playing rider answers the question correctly, the card will tell the rider how far to continue down the road. If the playing rider answers incorrectly, that rider stays where he/she is and the next player gets a turn. When picking a “What The Hell Is That?” card, the person that rolls the die next will retrieve the card and will need to place his/her finger over the bottom of the card (so as not to give away the answer), then show the playing rider the image.

The Cards:

“What The Hell Is That?” cards will test your knowledge visually. Generally, these are images relating to parts of a motorcycle, tools, road signs, travel, people, accessories, etc.

“Two Wheeler Trivia” cards will test your brain. These multiple choice and true or false questions will be of motorcycle history, movies, music, television, travel, bikers, etc.

6. Finishing The Ride

When each player rides into the Hollister Rally, he/she parks their bike in the “Parking” area. The first person to finish receives half the pot.

7. Finishing the Hand

When the last player parks his/her bike, all players show their best poker hand. Each rider will end up with 7 poker cards when they finish and will play their best 5 for the 2nd half of the pot. For the uninitiated poker player, we have supplied a poker hand key to help you determine who has the winning hand.

Our Disclaimer.

Some of the spaces require that you take a swig of your drink (a “swig” is defined as: an amount of liquid taken in one swallow. —Webster's Dictionary). We do not endorse a rider getting inebriated as a result of this experience and then driving irresponsibly on the road. If you are going to ride, respect yourself and respect the road. Don't drink and drive/ride. 

1. A game of competition between up to seven individual players or seven teams representing motorcycle riders comprising: a. a playing board having a representation of the United States, a State, City, or Town, or portion thereof, containing a primary route covering substantially all of the board with a start and a finish; a series of secondary detour routes which connect to the aforementioned primary route; b. a plurality of rally locations located on and distributed along same route; each of the said locations representing a major motorcycle rally, or place, or destination whereat each player earns a standard playing card; c. a plurality of secondary routes providing detours from the primary route; d. each player represented on said board by a playing piece representing a variety of motorcycles and a specific color bar to aid in recognition of said pieces; e. all of said routes are segmented into spaces for movement of the playing pieces representing said players; f. use of a single die as the means by each player to direct movement of their playing piece along said routes; g. some of said segments on said routes being labeled to direct the player landing there on to a variety of specific actions; h. some specified actions from said segments on said routes direct players to pick cards from specific decks; i. a first deck of cards having a distinctive label in which each card asks a trivia question and provides answers and provides value for movement; j. a second deck of cards having a distinctive label in which each card asks to identify an image and provides answers and provides value for movement; k. a third deck of cards being a standard deck of poker playing cards awarded to players at specific points along said route.
 2. a. The game as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second decks are labeled TWO WHEELER TRIVIA and WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?, respectively; b. the game as recited in claim 1 wherein said third deck being a standard deck of poker playing cards labeled AMERICAN THROTTLE.
 3. The game of claim 1 in which said playing piece is a rectangular shape imprinted with the image of a variety of motorcycles. 